Inspired by Record Store Day, a Metal Club has been launched that will feature deluxe and unusual issues of records from a variety of hardcore and metal outfits including Slayer, Metallica, The Sword, The Damned Things, Job for a Cowboy, and more.

The albums are due out on November 26th and examples include a hexagonal picture disc from The Sword, a 7-inch single for Slayer‘s World Painted Blood single and a super elaborate version of Mastodon‘s Crack the Skye.

Find more details here.
Source Continue reading Deluxe metal reissues and singles planned for “Metal Club” →

Cobra Skulls will be making their debut for Fat Wreck Chords on January 18, 2011 with Bringing the War Home. Vocalist Devin Peralta commented on the 5 song EP:

I’m very proud of our new 5-song EP, “Bringing the War Home”. I think the new songs are some of our best yet. They aren’t necessarily an indicator of what our next full-length will sound like as I wrote these songs year ago, but never got the chance to bring them to the band until a couple weeks before we recorded them in August.

The title of the EP comes from an old protest slogan of the Vietnam War era and I think the phrase is just as meaningful today during our ongoing, illegal war in Iraq. It’s an obvious play off of “Bring the Troops Home”, but it has a few more meanings as well as the implication to bring our troops home. To some it may sound offensive, but in the instances of the Vietnam and Iraq wars it implies that if there were no troops there would be no war. It also refers to the fact that the war is taking our tax dollars that we could spend on building and maintaining health care, schools and a crumbling infrastructure.

The band last released American Rubicon in 2009.
Source Continue reading Cobra Skulls announce Fat debut EP →

Some promising news coming from Arkansas as the controversial West Memphis Three were granted a new hearing by the state Supreme Court. The case, which dates back to 1993, involves Damien Echols, and Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley who are all serving life sentences. The three men, known as the West Memphis Three, were convicted of murdering three eight year old boys in West Memphis in the early 90s. The ruling allows the defence to provide significant evidence not presented at trail including DNA evidence which could exonerate the three. Even the parents of the victims have questioned the verdict.

Much of the anger against the conviction comes from the lack of forensic evidence and even lack of motive, with all the murders ascribed to a “satanic ritual.” The prosecution used the three’s predilection towards black clothing and heavy metal as justification for the entire case. At the time of the case, there was a “moral panic” about the threat of satanic child abuse, even though it was later found that there was little or no cause for it.

The three have had a number of high profile supporters including Henry Rollins who released 2002’s Rise Above – 24 Black Flag Songs in support, Joe Strummer, Supersuckers, Tom Waits and others contributed to another benefit compilation, Free the West Memphis 3 . Jello Biafra has spoken at length about the issue, as have South Park’s Trey Parker, actress Winona Ryder, actor Johnny Depp and many others.
Source Continue reading Arkansas Supreme Court grants West Memphis 3 a new hearing →

Travis Barker has posted another new song from his forthcoming solo album. This track features a collaboration with RZA and Raekwon of Wu Tang Clan as well as Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello. Travis Barker’s debut solo album, Give The Drummer Some, is scheduled for a Feburary 2011 release and will feature a number of guests including Rick Ross, Ludacris, E-40, The Cool Kids, Yelawolf, Snoop Dogg, Lupe Fiasco, Pharrell, Clipse, Game, Bun B, Lil Wayne, and more.

Source Continue reading Travis Barker (with RZA, Raekwon and Tom Morello): “Carry It” →

Don Giovanni Records, home of Screaming Females, The Ergs! and The Measure, have announced that Brooklyn indie/folk outfit, Laura Stevenson and the Cans will be releasing their next full length record on the label. Their previous album, A Record, was first released digitally in the pay-what-you-want format by Quote Unquote Records in Fall 2008, and then pressed to CD and LP by Asian Man Records earlier this year.

Check out some music on their MySpace page.
Source Continue reading Laura Stevenson & the Cans sign to Don Giavanni Records →

Recent Underground Communiqué signees: Vacation Bible School have announced the title of their next full length. The album will follow the band’s recent split with the God Damn Doo Wop Band on Traffic Street Records. The album is titled Vacation Bible School Ruined the Scene and the band recorded with Dan Precision at his Bombshelter Recording Studio

They are planning to celebrate the album’s CD release on December 5th at Subterranean in Chicago with Dear Landlord and Chinese Telephones.

Source Continue reading Vacation Bible School titles album, announces track list, plans a release show →

British Hardcore outfit Ghost of a Thousand have posted their video for “Knees, Toes, Teeth.” The song comes from their sophomore album New Hopes, New Demonstrations, released via Epitaph Records.

Source Continue reading Ghost of a Thousand: “Knees, Toes, Teeth” →

The Widow Jenkins have reformed as a distinct band. The group was absorbed into The Ataris in 2008 but will be performing together again. The band is planning to announce a new label and new vocalist in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, the band has posted several instrumental songs and those can be found here.
Source Continue reading The Widow Jenkins (featuring members of The Ataris) reunite →

Abilene, Texas-based melodic hardcore act Close Your Eyes have posted their video for “The Body” from their debut for Victory Records titled We Will Overcome.

Source Continue reading Close Your Eyes: “The Body” →